What to wear for a business headshot: Men’s Guide | Southcoast, Massachusetts Photographer
Headshots are one of the most important images to have in the business world, whether you are seeking a new job or already have one. You want to show that you are trustworthy, reliable, and most of all professional, and a headshot can help to portray this. First impressions are everything.
The first step after booking a headshot is to figure out what to wear. For most people, I suggest wearing something that you would wear to an important meeting or job interview.
For a traditional headshot:
–Think simple & classic. Pick your favorite suit that fits you well and doesn’t bunch up when you sit down.
–Picking a dark color like a navy blue, charcoal gray or black. These colors are classic and will help lead the viewers eyes up to your eyes.
–Stay away from prints such as grids or herringbone. The camera tends to translate these patterns into a moiré pattern “on film”…..which is distracting to the viewer of your portrait. Again, we want the viewer to look at you, not your clothing.
–Ties Patterns are OK. Keep in mind that tie should compliment the suit in your portrait…..not stand out on its own and be the only thing the viewers eye concentrates on. For example: If you are wearing a black suit and a white shirt. A gray would be a nice compliment. Ties look best when their tone lands between the suit and the shirt– so a light shirt, a dark suit, and a tie in a shade somewhere between them. Try to stay away from really reflective, shiny, silk ties.
**(Solid colors for jackets are ideal. Solid colors lead the viewers eyes up to your eyes……establishing a connection. Also, bright tie colors can be distracting.)
What NOT to wear:
-Bold plaid prints
-Bright colored shirts such as red, yellow or green.
-A white button down shirt, without a suit jacket. White shirts without a jacket and tie to break them up can lose detail in the color and folds.
-Short sleeves. For portraits stick with sleeves. The exposed skin can be distracting
-Undershirts that have necklines higher than the shirt you’re wearing. If you must wear an undershirt for portraits…..wear a v neck. Otherwise, do not wear an undershirt.
Grooming:
– Have your hair cut about one week before your session. This gives your hair a bit of time to grow out and relax into the new cut
– Facial hair: make sure you shave the morning of the shoot. If you have a beard….trim beard the morning of for the best groomed look.
